The Sweetness of Frodo
by NolaOakenshield30
Summary: Little Frodo acting strangely around Bofur. Prompting Bilbo and Bofur to sit the little hobbit down and explain to him the truth of things.
1. Chapter 1

"Frodo, silly boy, what're ye doin'?"

The little hobbit prodded a moment more before giving up. "Nothing," He answered, "just checking!"

Little Frodo jumped from Bofur's lap and left him to his work, and curious mind, and bonded out of the shed.

"What was that all about?" asked a voice, and Bofur stopped his work to offer the next intruder a smile, "That's the second time he's done that."

"Ach! Who knows?" He offered Bilbo, taking the steaming cup of coffee, "He's just a child."

Still Bofur patted at his belly; "Think I'm fat?" He asked Bilbo, and the hobbit smiled as he shook his head.

"Settled is more like it," Bilbo offered, and he grinned when the dwarf smirked.

"Fat," Bofur stated, and sipped his coffee, "I blame yer cookin'."

"Settled," Bilbo argued, "and I blame your fourth helpings at supper."

His weekends were the times he often prized; lounging about Bag End and playing with Frodo or having private moments with the love of his long life.

Today however, as he lay next to Bilbo upon their bed, Bofur was roused from his nap when he felt a slight pressure rest across his abdomen.

Opening one eye, he couldn't help but sigh impatiently, and Bilbo lifted his own head and snorted.

"Frodo," Bilbo yawned, "What on earth are you doing? If you want to nap with us that's fine but let Bo rest comfortably."

Frodo giggled and, with Bofur's help, nestled himself between his two puzzled parents.

"I'm getting' fat," He mused as he looked curiously at the drawing, "Maybe he's tellin' me to drop some pounds, eh?"

"Oh don't be silly! Your belly is as firm and flat as it ever was!" Bilbo chuckled, "Maybe he's just…drawing us differently to amuse himself."

"He's drawn ye like he's always drawn ye!" Bofur argued, "I'm the one he keeps drawing gettin' fatter and fatter!"

"Oh Bo!" Bilbo laughed, and wrapped his arms around the seated dwarf, and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry!"

"He keeps pokin' me belly!" Bofur whined, "and not that it's a bad thing but he's constantly wanting to help me with damn near everythin'! He even told me I should stop workin' so much!"

"Oh," Bilbo sighed, "Perhaps he just wants you around more. I know I do."

Bofur sighed and slunk down in his chair; "He's…I hate to say it, love, he's startin' to annoy me!"

"Whatcha building?" Frodo asked gleefully as he sat away from Bofur and observed the dwarf working at his bench.

Little Frodo had come straight to the shop after his morning lesson, to give Bilbo time to write in his book, and sat in the corner at the back of Bofur's shop; kicking his feet and watching the dwarf with great interest.

"A rockin' horse," Bofur explained patiently, "Fer a little girl."

"Your having a girl?" Frodo asked, "I didn't know you could tell that!"

Bofur's hands stopped in mid-sanding and he stared wide-eyed and slack jawed at the bright little hobbit.

"Frodo," Bofur chuckled, "Ye…Ye think I'm havin' a baby?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, aye, dwarf women have beards, some thicker than others, but that doesn't mean I'm one lad."

"But I thought only big girl and boys could sleep in the same bed?"

"True, but big boys and big girls can sleep together too if they love each other."

"So…you and Uncle Bilbo are both boys."

Bofur couldn't help chuckle; "Last time I checked, yes."

"So…Men can live with men and women can live with women?" Frodo continued to ask, never taking his eyes off of the smiling dwarf.

"If they love each other, yes; Yer Uncle and I have lived together fer close to three years now."

"Are you and Uncle Bilbo married then, like my mom and dad were?"

Bofur smiled to himself; "Not legally," He answered honestly, "But we consider ourselves to be so, yes."

"Sooo," Frodo started after a moment, "Your both boys…kind of married…but you can't have a baby, right?"

"Right," Bofur answered, his smile spreading, "Besides, we have you to look after."

Frodo walked on in silence before a moment before asking curiously: "So then…what was Uncle Bilbo doing to you?"

Bofur guffawed and he felt his cheeks go warm; a neighboring hobbit farmer and his wife eyed the two of them curiously from their porch as Bofur struggled to contain his laughter and walk onward.

"Eh," Bofur began nervously, "Well…I think we'll talk about tha' later tonight."

"Oh, Bofur, really? It's not funny! We've utterly confused the poor boy!"

Bofur sat with Bilbo in the den, little Frodo in his lap, and wiped the tears from his glittering eyes and offered a shrug.

"Frodo thinks it is, right lad?"

Frodo nodded, much to Bilbo's chagrin, and said: "I'm not confused at all! Bofur told me everything."

Bilbo almost dropped his cup and saucer and stared wide eyed at his partner; "Did you?" He said, trying to keep his voice calm, "and what did you tell him?"

Bofur smirked and waved a hand; "Tha', just like married men and women like to do, two males also like to have tender moments, and tha's what we were doin' the other night."

"You still haven't told me how though!" Frodo protested, "Dad told me how males do it with females…so how do the two of you do it?"

"We manage," Bilbo spat flatly, noting the mischievous gleam that suddenly danced in Bofur's eyes, "But even so young man…you shouldn't be peaking in on people when they're uh…when w-we uh~"

"When we're being tender," Bofur interjected softly, "Those times are private and very special."

"But it sounded like you were hurt Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed, drawing a bright blush from his blood relative.

"Oh, he wasn't hurt," Bofur offered through the corner of his mouth, "it was very much the opposite."

"Bo…" Bilbo started, his voice full of warning, "Now, Frodo, are you alright? What you saw…it didn't bother you?"

Frodo shook his head but, after a moment asked: "How come you and Bofur don't tell other people that you two are like moms and dads?"

Bilbo hesitated and looked at Bofur whose face had gone suddenly very serious.

"Well," Bilbo began, "While there are many people-men and women-like Bofur and myself, some people can be hateful, dangerous even, but all the same…it's our business to share with whom we please. Do you understand?"

Frodo looked at Bofur whom smiled softly, then back to Bilbo before nodding slowly.

"But you two can't have your own children, right?" He asked.

Bofur chuckled and ruffled Frodo's hair; "What's all this about children now?" He asked with a smile, "Maybe it's time we get ye a puppy!"

"That's all I need!" Bilbo coughed, though he smiled when Bofur did.

"I just thought it would be nice," Frodo confessed, "having a baby sister I mean."

Bilbo chuckled while Bofur gave the small hobbit a hug.

"Off ye go," Bofur said, setting Frodo on his feet, "Bedtime!"

"Aw!" Frodo whined, but nonetheless hurried from sight.

When he'd gone, the two long time lover looked at each other before breaking into soft laughter.

"All of this nonsense because He had a craving for a late-night snack!" Bilbo chuckled, "it's amazing really!"

"I told ye, once ye get goin', yer quite vocal!" Bofur snorted, and slouched in his chair, "'bout time we start lockin' our door, eh?"

Bilbo nodded but added: "In my defense…you like how vocal I can be."

Bofur smiled softly and gestured at Bilbo; the hobbit rose and came over to his partner, allowing the dwarf to pull him into his lap.

After sharing a brief kiss, while Bilbo toyed with one Bofur's plaits, the dwarf dared to say: "It'd be nice, ye know?"

"What would be nice," Bilbo asked softly, enjoying the feel of Bofur's strong hand massaging his thigh.

"Havin' more children about," Bofur explained, "It'd be wonderful."

Bilbo sighed; "I'd imagine you'd think like that," He pointed out, "you came from a large, close knit family."

"Ye don't think it would be a good idea?" Bofur asked, "I thought ye adored children."

"Oh, I do," Bilbo corrected, "Obviously. I've thought about it too, often really, when I see you and Frodo. But honestly, it would be difficult…adopting another child."

Bofur took Bilbo into a tight squeeze and the hobbit hummed, wrapping his small arms around the dwarf's broad shoulders.

"Who knows," Bofur sighed, enjoying another kiss from his hobbit, "Maybe one day…if we really want to."

Bilbo chuckled and tapped his forehead against the dwarfs; "Maybe," He agreed, "But for now, let's just hope little Frodo isn't too traumatized."


End file.
